HMP High Down - Focusing on Rehabilitation

HMP High Down – Focusing on Rehabilitation.

Having spent the previous afternoon at HMP Send at the Our Time Art Exhibition, Suzanne and I visited the largest prison for men in Surrey, HMP High Down, the following day.

It houses some 1,200 convicted men (no remand prisoners) and is a Category C prison. We were welcomed by Richard Jackman, the Business and Community Engagement Manager, and spent some time with the Prison Governor, Emily Martin, who enlightened us as to the daily routine at High Down. Rehabilitation is a main focus and the need to occupy the time of inmates productively is paramount. We saw workshops teaching bricklaying, plastering, carpentry, waste management, rail track laying, bike mechanics and fabric cutting (into towels and shower curtains). Also, there is a fully functioning DHL facility within the prison, a strong horticultural scheme and a fully equipped gym and 4G pitch. All inmates are encouraged to participate, the vast majority do, and of those which start a course an amazing 99% complete it, demonstrating the positive impact it has on prison life. The skills based training is backed up by educational lessons and courses designed to prepare the men for their release.

Richard gave us an extensive tour of the prison and we had the opportunity to talk to some of the inmates who were clearly enjoying the bricklaying training. Overall the impression was an environment of structured activity, helped by the routine and stability of the prison population. Like all prisons there is a problem with drones making illegal deliveries and a vacancy list for both prison staff and probation officers but the morale of the prison staff we met seemed high and there was a mutual respect between them and the prisoners.

‘Our Time’ Exhibition Showcases Work from Past & Present Artists at HMP Send.

I was delighted to be invited, with Suzanne to meet a group of resident artists, plus alumnae, at the Private View of the Our Time exhibition 2025, on June 24th at HMP Send.

This annual event has been held since 2017 and includes work from woman artists who take part in the weekly Watts Gallery Trust Art workshops. This year nine artists were exhibiting their work. They all used different mediums and styles revealing their different personalities and backgrounds; and most of them had never produced any artworks before enrolling on the workshops. They all spoke briefly about their experience and thanked Sophie Artemis – their inspirational tutor, and Officer Stuart Gregory, who provides them with continuous support and encouragement.

Sally Varah of the Michael Varah Memorial Fund spoke about how in 2016-17 the co-founders talked to her about their aspirations to hold the first ever art exhibition inside a UK prison, planned and curated by the artists themselves, and how the MVMF has supported the exhibitions ever since.

The evening was graced by the Lord Lieutenant, a number of DLs and a posse of past High Sheriffs together with a number of other dignitaries with many of the guests purchasing artwork, greeting cards or postcards. Suzanne and I were delighted to acquire a set of three Hare pictures created by Dena, an alumna who returns each year to exhibit. It was a pleasure to speak with all the artist and hear their enthusiasm for the workshops and the exhibition.

Headroom – New Premises in Farnham

Suzanne and I had a very uplifting evening at the grand opening of Headroom’s new premises in Farnham on June 24th.

Headroom is a mental health charity which seeks to help young people, their parents and their carers. Started by Sue Evans from a shed in her garden it later moved to Aldershot before outgrowing that space and now opening in Farnham. They offer a range of free therapeutic services that are specifically designed to meet the growing mental health crisis and alleviate pressure on local services and improve the quality of life for those they help. We heard some lived experiences from people the charity has helped and we spoke to a number of the team and the trustees who work so heard to help those in crisis.

As a Trustee of the Community Foundation, I was aware that we awarded a grant to Headroom last year which paid for over 150 one-to-one sessions which had positively benefited 33 people. They help young people aged form 11 to 25 and their parents and carers which is important as statutory help often ends at age 18, and also there is no limit to the number of sessions they will provide.

We were escorted round and introduced to everyone by Nichola Clark (Chair of Trustees) and the Mayor of Farnham and I myself gave short speeches celebrating both the achievements to date and the fact the larger premises will enable them to greatly increase the number of services they provide and young people they can support.   

Visit the Website at; https://www.headroomcharity.co.uk

You can also read my speech HERE

Suzanne, Sue Evans, me and Nichola Clark.

The Headroom Team.

Celebration of the Surrey Joint Services’ Charities.

On Sunday June 22nd I was honoured to be present at the ‘Annual Surrey Joint Services’ Charities Choral Mattins’. 

The Lord Lieutenant, many DLs and Mayors from across Surrey were present with other dignitaries at the service in Guildford Cathedral. Cadets were present from all the armed forces, together with the police cadets, and they treated the congregation after the service to a parade outside the cathedral. It was great to see so many young people participating as cadets. Being part of the cadets greatly enhances young people’s prospects by encouraging self-confidence, team-work and broadening horizons. I was delighted my two police cadet, Grace and Imogen, were present together with other police cadets; and the Chief Constable, Tim De Meyer, and I were delighted to join them for a photo afterwards.

Wine Walk 2025

‘The High Sheriff & Friends Wine Walk 2025’ – Great Company, Stunning Views and Vines Aplenty – All Whilst Raising Funds for Two Great Charities.

After a LIVE phone chat to Mark Carter at BBC Radio Surrey my fifteen co-walkers and I set off at 8am on the dot from the idyllic Greyfriars Vineyard just off the Hogs Back – a fabulous starting point and our first tasting of the day – What a great way to celebrate the beginning of English Wine Week! The route ahead would take us through some of the most stunning scenery our county has to offer and along the way we would be sampling some of the best local wines plus enjoying an extra pit stop at a tucked away brewery.

It took a couple of hours to reach Chilworth Manor Vineyard where we were greeted by Sir Graham Wrigley at ‘The Watch House’ – Chilworth’s new Tasting barn sitting alongside the vines. Graham talked with absolute passion about the vineyard, its challenges and achievements. Time for our second group photo and off to stop 3 – Albury Vineyard. 

Albury Organic Vineyard is nestled alongside Silent pool Gin, and Mandiras Kitchen – two other innovative and award winning Surrey Businesses, just off the A25 between Dorking and Guildford. By this time the heat of the day was taking its toll and it was nice to sit in the centre for a while out of the suns rays whilst events manager Becky, poured us all a chilled glass of their finest, which was of course very welcome too! We were also joined by Moira and David Martin from Kellys Storage, one of Guildford Philanthropy’s Corporate Ambassadors, who came to cheer us on which was a pleasant surprise! It was at this point that I announced to the walkers that we would have quite a steep incline out of the vineyard to tackle which was better received than I anticipated – the reward being a visit to the very tucked away Tillingbourne Brewery where Steve and his team proceeded to pour some of their wonderful Amber Liquid – I hasten to add that care was taken not to over-indulge and for the most of us a swift half was enough – despite it being extremely moorish! 

The penultimate wine stop was High Clandon Vineyard – a private one with beautiful views over the Surrey Hills and currently home to some impressive sculptures on display. We were welcomed by Sibylla and Bruce Tindale – the owners of the estate, and each presented with a glass of their singular, matured vintage-only Cuvée, which was of course excellent. There, the weary walkers rested under the awnings in stunning surroundings no doubt trying not to think of the last leg of their journey to Denbies Hillside a tough walk through the woods where they would join the support team for water replenishment and yet more photos in front of St Barnabas Church – (the one with the tall spire at Ranmore). 

And so to the easiest part of the walk (technically) – the blister squishing march down though Denbies hillside to the spectacular Denbies Hotel (some of the walkers also managed a light jog across the finishing line), where the final glass of the day awaited which of course was Denbies Wine Estate‘s finest English Sparkling Wine. 

A fantastic day and a huge thanks to the walkers who all made it to the finish in one piece, to the support team, our hosts – who all looked after us brilliantly, Matt at Surrey Hills Vineyards, but most of all to every one who donated, helping us to support Guildford Philanthropy and The High Sheriffs Youth Awards. The Surrey Hills is a place of beauty and we feel lucky to have seen it in such a wonderful way. #vineyardsofthesurreyhills Below are some behind the scenes images from the day!

YOU can still help us raise money for these two great causes by donating a few quid if you can to VOSH.co.uk

Photos by Andy Newbold

Surrey’s fourth ‘Lighthouse’ comes to Guildford – Transforming Lives Through Kindness, Belief and Hope.

On Thursday June 19th, I visited the newly opened Lighthouse Centre at the top of Guildford High Street.

The Lighthouse already operates vibrant hubs in Woking, Aldershot and Barnsbury, which offer a mix of drop-in sessions together with a plethora of group and project initiatives, and now they are opening their doors in Guildford, in a spacious former shop. They are reaching out to the local community to ascertain what is most needed but already offer a mum and baby group and a Men Matter session. 

I have known of the great work they have been undertaking for a number of years and I was delighted to support their Guildford Christmas Kindness appeal as Chair of Guildford Philanthropy together with the then Mayor of Guildford, Sallie Barker, at our joint Mistletoe Ball last December.

It was therefore a pleasure that Sallie, was also at the Lighthouse when I visited and met with Erik (who heads up The Lighthouse with his wife Rebecca) and Anna the Centre Manager at Guildford. 

I would like to share with you the following heartwarming words which shine a light on the values of The Lighthouse, you can find out more and donate HERE:

The High Sheriff is Questioned in Dorking!

I  enjoy all aspects of being High Sheriff but there is something special about being dressed up in my Court Dress meeting young children!

I had that pleasure on June 19th when I was invited by Louise O’Connor DL, a Governor of St John’s Church of England Primary and Nursery School in Dorking, to address the school assembly.

I was welcomed by the Head, Jacky Fyson and heard about their unique culture which aims to put the school at the heart of the community by supporting parents as well as teaching their children under the principle of Nurture, Inspire, Flourish. Jacky has been Head for some ten years, bringing a ethos of belonging and inclusion and the school is a role model for how  a school can connect with the local community and give confidence and aspiration to its children.

I enjoyed telling them all in Assembly about the history and the present role of a High Sheriff and was bowled over by the number of questions from the children (some of which I could answer!). A thoroughly enjoyable morning.  

Skillway – Teaching Practical Skills to 13-16 year olds to Children who are at Risk of Becoming NEET

I had the pleasure of meeting Derek Pollard and Jack Tomes from Skillway at their premises in Godalming and I was also delighted to meet up again with Kevin Delf who was there from the Surrey Lifelong Learning Partnership.

My Shrieval theme is to help young people at risk of becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training) and that often requires early intervention and the opportunity to provide training outside the usual academic curriculum; Skillway operates squarely in this space. They aim to motivate and build confidence in 13 – 16 year olds by teaching them practical skills allied to trades and to nurture their personal potential – sometimes for the first time. Working in harmony with a student’s current education they endeavour o give them a feeling of success and an ability to achieve in a low pressure, nurturing environment.

Generally, their students are finding it difficult to succeed within the academic confines of school; becoming disengaged and sometimes disruptive. Frequently, the young people they serve are from challenging circumstances and can struggle to see their future positively.

At Skillway, their students enjoy ‘hands on‘ learning delivered by skilled volunteer craftspeople, with longstanding experience of their specialism. They are treated as young adults in an environment unlike school and are prepared to take the next step towards a positive future. The Skillway workshops are housed in the chapel buildings of Nightingale Cemetery. They have metalwork and woodwork workshops in the chapel and a separate Creative Craft studio at back of their tranquil Godalming site.

They currently support over 40 young people who are at risk of becoming NEET and thanks to their efforts hopefully these young people will have a more positive future.

Gosden House – a wonderful school for 4-16 year olds with learning and additional needs

I had the pleasure on June 17th with Suzanne to visit Gosden House, a wonderful school for 4-16 year olds with learning and additional needs on the outskirts of Bramley. It sits in extensive grounds and offers a wonderful leaning and caring environment to its pupils.

We were shown round by Rebecca Smale (Head), Catherine  Kneller (Deputy Head),   Liz Sutherland (Trustee), and Finn, one of the pupils who made a first rate guide and was very proud of his school. As well as focusing on core learning skills and communication the school also offers valuable life skills, for example a number of pupils are working together to refurbish an old flat within the building, and learning about all the decorating and furnishing aspects involved.

We also had the pleasure of meeting Mariann Kehrling again from the charity Artventure who twice a week run art classes at the school. Art forms a big part of the development of pupils at Gosden House, with wonderful examples on the walls throughout the school.

Everyone both staff and pupils seemed to be enjoying being at Gosden House, and so did we!

[picture from left to right, me, Rebecca, Liz and Catherine]

ChoirBLAST – Godalming Alive with the Sound of Music, (and the indefatigable Phoebe Gaydon!)

Having enjoyed a wonderful start to the day with over 1,900 Beavers and Rainbows at Surrey Bazzaz, Suzanne and I then had the most uplifting afternoon at ChoirBLAST, where 78 choirs came together in Godalming, performing across 11 stages, bringing joy to both the singers and the audience alike.ChoirBLAST is a charity that celebrates the joy of contemporary group singing through an annual festival and community initiatives. Bringing together choirs from across the world, ChoirBLAST creates accessible choir projects for all ages and abilities, hosts vibrant, inclusive events that unite communities and raises funds for local causes. They believe that music is for everyone, whether you’re a seasoned singer or someone who has never sung a note before. By creating choirs in schools, workplaces, care homes, and community spaces, they aim to give everyone the chance to experience the power of singing together.​ Fostering inclusivity and connection their goal is to bring people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds together. Whether young or old, able-bodied or differently-abled, music has the power to bridge gaps and build a supportive, inclusive community.All this was evident at the festival, with vast numbers of people enjoying the free event, on a glorious sunny afternoon. We saw the Guildford Jazz Choir, the Halow Project Choir, an NHS Choir from Hull and many others.

ChoirBLAST is the brainchild of the indefatigable Phoebe Gaydon who runs a number of choirs locally, including in schools and for local charities like The Meath and Halow Project and she was rushing around the various stages all day on a scooter to be wherever one of her choirs were performing. She, her fellow trustees and all the volunteers brought so much joy to so many people with this their third festival. Make sure you are there to join in next year!

You can visit their extremely vibrant website at https://www.choirblast.com